Whanganui United and Marist to open Coastal Challenge competition

Horowhenua Kāpiti cricket teams in the Coastal Challenge can expect fierce competition this weekend. Photo / File

Horowhenua-Kāpiti sides have dominated the Coastal Challenge Cup for the past five summers, but Whanganui teams are determined to break that run.

The 50-over Coastal tournament was introduced in 2015-16 to give the top clubs of Whanganui and Horowhenua-Kāpiti a more robust and competitive one-day competition, then expanded in 2018-19 to include Wairarapa clubs, of which only Burger King Red Star remains.

Levin Old Boys are two-time defending champions, having won the cup a record-tying three times alongside their local Horowhenua-Kāpiti rivals Roofbox Paraparaumu.

Paraparaumu have made the grand final five times in eight tournaments, a record they share with Whanganui United although for the home side that statistic is becoming infamous.

Having had a glorious history of winning titles, including the last two Cricket Whanganui Premier 1 45-over crowns, United have yet to claim the elusive Coastal cup.

This included last year’s final against Levin, who had comfortably beaten Marist at home by five wickets in the semifinal and came to Victoria Park to again deny United the silverware with an 81-run victory.

For Marist, they will want to go one game better than last year’s second vs third away semifinal, having won the Coastal Challenge in their only trip to the championship game in 2018-19.

It will be interesting to see who ‘shows up on the day’ for United and Marist to ensure they earn bragging rights in this latest derby clash.

One could argue the question of current supremacy was split during the Premier 1 competition.

Marist secured an impressive 36-run victory in a high-scoring match on the artificial turf at Springvale Park on November 4, in a game where both sides had brought in some young future prospects from their feeder schools – Whanganui High for United and Collegiate for Marist.

However, United had the last laugh as they still qualified ahead of Marist for the final on net run rate, and picked up a narrow two-wicket win over the Collegiate 1st XI who had those same prospect players.

Of the 12-man Riverview Motel Whanganui squad who played the last Furlong Cup match against Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay at Victoria Park last Saturday, exactly five each come from these two clubs.

Joel Clark, Nick Harding, Shaun O’Leary, Connor O’Leary and Ross Kinnerley were the Marist contingent, while Greg Smith, Carter Hobbs, Daniel Burgess, Chris Sharrock and James Woodford are the United men.

In the Horowhenua Kāpiti derby games, Levin get their title defence underway against last year’s other semifinalist in Weraroa CC at Donnelly Park.

Kāpiti Old Boys will host Paraparaumu at the Paraparaumu Domain.

Games start at 12pm with a provision to begin at 11am by agreement.

Follow results and draws for the tournaments at

https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/coastal-challenge/coastal-challenge-summer-202324/coastal-challenge-50-overs/619aab07

Draw for January 20th, Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over

Wanganui Vet Services Marist vs Property Brokers United

Kapiti Old Boys vs Roofbox Paraparaumu

Levin Old Boys vs Weraroa CC

Bye: Burger King Red Star

Previous Coastal Challenge Cup winners:

2015-16: Tech Old Boys (Whanganui); Runnerup: Levin Old Boys

2016-17: Paraparaumu CC; Runnerup: Whanganui United

2017-18: Paraparaumu CC; Runnerup: Whanganui United

2018-19: Wanganui Marist; Runnerup: Paraparaumu CC

2019-20: Levin Old Boys; Runnerup: Whanganui United

2020-21: Paraparaumu CC; Runnerup: Whanganui United

2021-22: Levin Old Boys; Runnerup: Paraparaumu CC

2022-23: Levin Old Boys; Runnerup: Whanganui United